The True Meaning Of Christmas
by BarrelRacer13
Summary: Hermes trys to talk Zeus into celebrating Christmas, but the Lord of the Sky doesnt want to. will Christmas be celebrated on Mount. Olympus, or will they just go through an everyday day. does that make sense?  one-shot. better then the summery. plz R


**I thought of this idea while my little sister and mom were putting up Christmas decorations, and then I started to whistle 'Jingle Bells' and then I thought of this. please review! And no flames please!**

**December 13….**

"I said NO!"

"You say 'no' every year!"

"And im going to keep saying 'no' every year!"

"Why dont you say 'yes', just once!"  
"Because im in charge, and I say no!"

"But what about everyone else? Have you ever thought about that? What if _they_ wanted to celebrate Christmas for once?"

"It's not up to them! me and Hera both think this holiday the mortals made is stupid!"

"I helped them make it."

With that Hermes turned on his heal and stormed out of the room. this happened every year. Hermes would try to talk Zeus into letting everyone celebrate Christmas, but Zeus's answer was always 'no'. And it was insulting to Hermes, because he helped the mortals think of the idea of the holiday.

The other gods turned toward Zeus. Some of them, it was hard to read their expressions. Others seemed upset or defensive. But then the last god expected to speak stood up.

"I've seen the way the mortals are with this holiday. So united and happy. It's a shame you prevent us from doing the same." Dionysus said before walking out of the room as well.

In his own palace, Hermes grabbed a coat and headed outside and down to the city. He saw Dionysus walk of the room and disappear in a poof of grape-scented air. Hermes disappeared for a second, and re-appeared somewhere in Manhattan. He walked around aimlessly, not looking for anything to steal, or delivering any mail. He wandered around, looking up occasionally at the snow falling gently to the ground, the santas standing outside stores with their little bells, and the Christmas decorations that filled the streets.

He saw people walking with their family, and laughing with friends. He wished the gods could do that. Have fun and laugh with each other, with no one fighting. But that would never happen. His family was hateful and not once had they all agreed on something and how it should be done.

**December 18….**

The gods have been quiet lately. Some mad at Zeus, others just busy, or lazy, as in Apollo's case. Hermes was back to delivering the mail. He walked up to Apollo's palace, and rang the doorbell. It took a while for the sun god to answer the door.

"Hey Hermes." Apollo yawned. Hermes must've woken him up from a nap.

"Hey. Here's the mail." Hermes handed him a pile of letters –mainly complaints from Artemis and Demeter.

"What, no exploding envelopes, or jelly filled letters, or any of that? Dude, if you're still mad about the whole Christmas thing, then why don't you just go annoy Zeus 'til he says yes? That seems like something you'd do." Apollo said.

"Because if he was forced to celebrate, there would be fights because he'd be in a bad mood. Not that he has a good one, but still." Hermes voice was flat and emotionless.

He walked away before Apollo could say anything. The next person to deliver too was Zeus. And Hermes wasn't looking forward to that.

By the time he got to Zeus's house, Hermes mood was bitter. So bitter in fact, that instead of ringing the doorbell, he just opened the door and yelled, "ZEUSSS! MAIL!"

"I have a doorbell, you know." Zeus growled as he walked to the door.

"Yeah, I have better things to do right now then deliver your stinkin mail, so get over it." Hermes retorted.

**December 22**

Hermes walked again on the streets on New York City. In only 3 days it would be Christmas. He was lost in thought, thinking about little things like how many more years 'til he gets Zeus to celebrate Christmas. Then he felt a tug on his shirt, and he turned around, ready to snap at someone, but then saw it was a little girl who had tugged on him.

"Um…Sir?" her voice was small. She couldn't have been more then 6 years old. Her clothes were torn and she had no jacket. Her blonde hair was a mess, and she had dirt on her face.

"My….My mommy is really sick….she's been sick for a really long time. And my Daddy is really sad and I hear him talking to mommy, and she tells him he has to get medicine for himself.…but I love my mommy and my daddy, and I want to help them so they can have one more happy Christmas before mommy goes to heaven…." Her voice trailed off, and Hermes could tell she didn't like asking for stuff. He knelt down so he could lift her chin and look her in the eyes. They were a wonderful shade of green. He smiled and without a word, handed her some mortal money.

She hesitated a few seconds before she took it and looked at him.

"Thank you, Mister." She turned to leave, but then turned back and ran over to Hermes and hugged him. "Merry Christmas!" she sang, clinging to him. Hermes hugged back gently.

He watched the little girl run off, and over to a man and women. She hugged them and showed them the money. The family looked homeless. Dirt covered the couple's faces and like the little girl, their clothes were all ripped up and weary look in their eyes showed how much they had been through. The man looked up toward Hermes, and waved a thanks.

It made the god of Messengers smiled.

**December 23**

Hermes was laying in his bed, reading his own mail. He hardly ever got any time to read it.

_Hermes, you lazy bum! When will you get off your butt and do something useful! Like…oh, I dunno, HELP MY DAUGHTER GET OUT OF THE UNDERWORLD! By maybe TRICKING Hades into letting her go free…_

_Demeter_

Hermes snorted. Although he would love to trick Hades, he would just get himself into trouble, and the last time he tricked on the of the Big Three (Poseidon), he ended up having to be tied to a pole for ten days with anyone who could possibly annoy him surround him day and night. and he didn't want to go through that again.

_Hermes,_

_GET ME OUT OF HERE! I'll be yours forever, if you GET ME OUTTA HERE!_

_Persephone _

She put a little flower next to her name. that was tempting. Hermes always had a little crush on the Goddess of Springtime. Maybe ten more years tied to pole wouldn't be that bad….no, it would be that bad.

_Hermes,_

_May I just tell you that your children, Travis and Conner, spray painted every room in the Big House, robbed the camp store and took pretty much anything to be used in a prank, and are hiding something, and refuse to tell anyone what it is. Which means one thing: your little brats are too much like you! I remember you did almost the same thing in my palace, and if these too are making a giant paint ball gun, I swear on the River Styx, I will make you wish those little thieves were never born!_

_Dionysus_

"Heh, Heh, Heh." Hermes chuckled. Travis and Conner would make great thieves one day. The others should listen to them more. Of course, Hermes loved all his kids, but Travis and Conner were almost as good of a thief as him!

_Hermes, _

_If you try to steal my Persephone, I will personally make sure all your kids end up in the Field of Punishment and find any way possible to torture you._

_Hades_

What a nice guy, Hermes thought. Well, there go his plans to take Persephone.

_Hermes,_

_It turns out the other gods have talked me into celebrating this stupid holiday of yours. But don't expect me or Hera to help 'decorate' for it. you're in charge of that. Tomorrow is when you have permission to start. The others know of this already. Don't trick them into doing anything stupid. _

_Zeus_

That one shocked Hermes. Maybe now he would have a chance to show Zeus that Christmas should be celebrated.

**December 24**

"Don't you dare shake this ladder, Apollo!"

"Oh, I wont."

Then Apollo shook the ladder. Hermes yelped and tightened his grip on the ladder so tight his knuckles turned white. He was trying to hang the holiday lights and Apollo was holding the ladder, only because Hermes was being paranoid.

"Apolloooo! Stop!" Hermes whined.

"Afraid of heights?" Apollo teased. Not in mean way, but more of a brotherly way. They were brothers anyway.

"Yes!" truly, Hermes was much more comfortable when he was using his flying shoes and hat. But, the shoes got wrecked in an accident involving a volcano and some explosives. And the hat was buried somewhere in his closet.

"But we live on a mountain peak six hundred stories above the ground."

"Don't remind me." Hermes grumbled as Apollo steadied the ladder.

"HERMES!" Ares roared. Hermes again yelped, and fell off the ladder. And Apollo just stepped out of the way. He looked up at Ares from the ground. The God of War had shaving cream all over his face and a Santa hat glued to his chin so it looked like a fuzzy red beard. The ultimate Christmas prank.

"Im in trouble now, aren't I?" Hermes guessed.

"Yes." Ares growled. Hermes leaped up and began to run, but then tripped over Athena who was attempting to get the Christmas tree to stand the right way.

"OW!" she yelped when Hermes shoe dug itself into her side before he fell on top of her.

"Hermes, you idiot! Get off me!" she snapped.

"Sorry!" he apologized while he scrambled up and tried to keep running, only to Ares grab the back of his shirt and hold him just off the ground. He kept trying to run, but failed sense he wasn't on the ground.

"ARES! GET OFF!" Athena yelled. Ares was standing on her back.

"Huh? Oh, sorry." He stepped off her, but kept his grip firmly on Hermes.

"Can you put me down now?" Hermes asked.

"No."

"Please?"

"I said no."

Hermes silently growled.

"If you put me down I promise I wont put the pictures online." Hermes bargained.

"What pictures?"

"These." Hermes held up a bunch of picture of Ares with shaving cream and a Santa hat glued to his chin. One had Hermes standing there with his eyes closed tightly and his thumbs up.

"You wouldn't…."

"Oh, but I would."

"Grrrrr….fine." Ares put Hermes down on Athena.

"HERMESSSSS! GET THE HADES OFF ME!" she screamed at him.

"SORRY!"

Athena got up and made a wild grab for Hermes, but he dodged and ran off with Athena in chase.

"GET BACK HERE YOU LITTLE THEIF!" she screamed as she chased him.

"I TAKE THAT AS A COLMPLEMENT! ANDVI SAID I WAS SORRY!"

just then, Zeus and Hera walked in and Hermes just managed to hit the ground and slide under Zeus's legs without hitting anyone.

"SORRY!" he called back.

"What in the world…." Zeus stepped out of Athena's way and watched her chase Hermes. Ares, Apollo, and Artemis were laughing at Hermes. Artemis stuck her leg out and tripped him, and Athena went in for the kill. Not really, but she did start to hit Hermes good-naturedly. Sort of. Hermes laughed and said 'ow' at the same time.

"STO-O-O-P!" Hermes laughed.

"Fine." Athena began to tickle her 'brother'. (**A/N: well, both Athena and Hermes are Zeus's kids. So that means they are brother and sister. Same with Ares. And Apollo and Artemis. And Dionysus. And bunch of others.)**

"That's enough." Zeus growled. Athena stood up, bowed to Zeus and Hera, then went back to working on the tree. Hermes lay on the ground.

"Still think this holiday is a good idea?" Zeus sneered.

"Yes. I do think this is still a good idea." Hermes panted.

"Should I even ask why you were just being chased by Athena?" Hera asked.

"Oh, well, you see, last night I was running around entertaining myself, so I glued a Santa hat onto Ares's chin, then put whip cream on his face, and then when I was attempting to hang the lights he found me, and started chasing me, and when he caught me, Athena was fixing the tree, so he put me down on her back, and then she chased me." Hermes explained cheerfully.

"Hermes! I got the lights up!" Apollo called. Hermes jumped at the sound of Apollo's loud voice by his ears.

"Good to know….but do me a favor and DON'T YELL IN MY EARS!" Hermes smirked when Apollo jumped.

**December 25**

Hermes snored away as he slept, completely lazy and tired after the chaos caused yesterday. Being chased by Ares and Athena, hanging Christmas lights, trying to get the Santa hat off of Ares, attempting to find his flying hat, and everything else, can be very tiring.

Then, with Hermes luck, his phone/caduceus began to ring. His ring tone was set on 'random' so it would play any random song. And sadly, that means volume changes too.

"WALKIN 'ROUND IN WOMEN'S UNDERWEAR-" **(it's a funny song…look it up on Youtube. You wont regret it!)**

Hermes nearly jumped out of his skin, and when he looked around, Ares, Apollo, Artemis, and Athena were standing there, smirking.

"Uhh…HEY!"

They pulled out a bunch of tinsel and tied up Hermes leg, ankles, wrists, arms, and gagged him before Apollo flung him over his shoulders, and they pulled Hermes out of his palace. He struggled and tried to squirm his way out of the glittery rope that was restraining him. Ares slipped back so he was walking behind Apollo, and snapped a few pictures.

"HMH!" Hermes protested, but when you have glittery rope in your mouth, it isn't very easy.

Half of the gods, including the minor gods, were all in one place, and when thy saw Hermes wearing pink pajamas with evil, rabid, purple, vampire bunnies on it, they all started laughing so hard that it made thunder sound like a tiny bell jingling in a mall crowded with people. Hermes began to glow, changing into his true form, and the tinsel was vaporized. When the light died, Hermes was in his joggers clothes and trying to get the tinsel out of his mouth.

"I think I swallowed some of that shiny stuff…." He complained.

"Do you really think we'd let you sleep in, when this was _your_ idea?" Zeus growled, but his eyes glittered good-naturedly and a smile played at his mouth, even if he wouldn't admit it.

The rest of the day was filled with laughs and fun, no one fighting or arguing. Poseidon and Athena got along for once, Zeus and Hades weren't arguing, Hades wasn't so gloomy for a change (but he still had a bad temper), Artemis didn't turn anyone into a jackalope. But the one thing that did put Artemis in a bad mood was when Aphrodite put up some invisible shield to keep anyone from just walking under the mistletoe And she didn't know that until she tried to walk past Hermes was just barely under it talking to Dionysus who kept his distance. When they finally got Artemis to follow mistletoe traditions, she walked away spitting and cursing in Greek, but got over it quickly.

They partied until midnight, which is when Hermes (after having a little too much caffeine) gave Zeus a migraine from his babbling. Then Ares came in and whacked Hermes in the back of his head with a branch from the Christmas tree, causing the talkative god to black out. From that year on, they celebrated Christmas, but made sure to limit Hermes amount of caffeine. And Every Christmas, Hermes would think of that little homeless girl he had given the money too, because that was the true meaning of Christmas. Giving to others, and helping in anyway possible.

**Randomness. That is the only word that I can think of to explain this story. And it's in time for Christmas!**

**Now, because I have a feeling flamers will attack this story, I mean no disrespect to anything in here, I don't care if capitalization is messed up because this is only a one-shot, unless I decide to make it a story of different holidays on Olympus, but please, it's Christmas Eve, so if you're going to flame, be nice. **

**Please review!**

**AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS! XP**


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